24th January, 2013

The Sarah Jane Adventures Series 4 episode 10 "Lost in Time" part 2

     We return with each of our heroes stuck in time facing their own perils. Although the sands in the Shopkeeper's hourglass run out (so they were running out, apparently), the gang has a bit more time as the time portal doesn't automatically close, even as this does threaten to suck in the entire world. Each of our gang has been distracted from accomplishing their task by trying to solve the problems of the people they've encountered. We can't expect our heroes to turn their back on the innocent, can we?
     Rani prevents Matilda from stabbing Jane Grey and we learn that the handmaiden's motive was to make the erstwhile Queen a martyr for the protestant cause. Rani gives Jane a pep talk as Mary's troops surround the tower, encouraging her to show courage, as her memory will live on for centuries. Sensing her other-worldly nature, Ms. Grey assumes Rani's an angel, reinforcing her trust and belief in her treatment of history. Rani takes the dagger and returns to the present, shocking the older handmaiden, but confirming the Queen's belief in her angelic nature.
     Clyde and George escape the church and come across an apparent ally in a young (and armed) townswoman. They return to the church to stop the Nazi force, where the lady shows her true allegiance in helping  the Germans to recapture the boys. Clyde and George escape, yet again, when Clyde uses his cell phone to make the Germans believe that he has a bomb. George grabs "Thor's Hammer" (because if Clyde did the mini-adventure would come to a premature end), and Clyde's phone gets smashed and left behind (oh that can't be a good thing), but the kids do manage to alert the Home Guard. The Home Guard capture the invaders, George expresses a desire to join the military, and Clyde grabs the hammer and returns to our time.
     Sarah Jane and her erstwhile companion Emily wish to attempt to save the future children from the fire, but Sarah doesn't have 24 hours to wait for the next time the clock hits 8pm. Apparently the time stream is stupid, since physically resetting the clock does the trick. This time the mansion appears as it does in the time of the fire, although our heroes can't interact with the people or any physical objects. They learn they can walk through the door leading to the children, but the kids can't hear or see them. Emily's distress over being helpless to help the kids as they begin to set the fire allow her to communicate with them, and the fear allows her to turn the key on the door to allow the children to escape. Sarah is then able to take the key, which is the item she was searching for, but her effort to pass back through the time portal is thwarted when Emily in a panic accidentally grabs the key and keeps her from taking it with her.
     The Shopkeeper has placed Clyde's and Rani's pieces of the Chronosteen in a box, but all seems lost when Sarah fails to give him her piece. A woman enters the shop with the key in the nick of time, allowing them to avert disaster. The woman is Emily's granddaughter, who was given instructions to return the key to Sarah Jane on the day and place from the article in the newspaper Sarah had left in the past. (121 years seems like a long time for merely 2 generations to have passed. The lady bringing the key didn't seem that old.) The Shopkeeper and his parrot who was the one in control, apparently, take their leave and vanish into thin air without us learning anything about what the hell had just happened.
     The granddaughter's name is Angela Price, and through her we learn of Emily's becoming a medical Doctor. Internet searches allow us to discover Clyde's and Rani's companions' fate. Jane Grey's faith in her was confirmed in a letter to her sister. George is still alive, having entered the armed forces towards the end of the war at the age of 16. Recently, at age 83, George received a decoration from the Queen for his work in radar technology. (maybe the technology from the abandoned cell phone helped?) I'd like it if  Clyde could go visit him someday.

     Trips to the past are always fun on this show, and this story is no exception. The world of the past is somewhat sanitized, as is understandable for a kids' show. Once again, each of the regulars having their own separate adventure allows each to shine. Having dropped down to three regulars has allowed the remaining characters to reap the benefit of the greater focus. I do feel that the show doesn't do a good job of explaining the origins of the Shopkeeper, or of the Chronosteen, but in the Shopkeeper's case, the mystery is at least part of the character's appeal. I suspect the writers intended for the character to return, although Sarah's passing probably didn't allow enough time for this. Overall, I'd rank it my second favorite story of the season to this point, only failing to overcome the nostalgic appeal of "Death of the Doctor".